Storage bin assembly

ABSTRACT

A storage bin assembly is disclosed. The storage bin assembly includes a door moveably connected to an enclosure at first and second pivot axes by a pair of compound pivoting mechanisms including a first arm and a second arm. The storage bin assembly also includes an arcuate dampening arm integrally connected to the first arm of each pivoting mechanism to provide damped movement of the door relative the enclosure. A method for adjusting the position of the door relative the enclosure is also disclosed.

CLAIM TO PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/638,673, filed Dec. 22, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to vehicular overhead storage bin assemblies. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an overhead storage bin assembly including a compound pivoting mechanism for causing movement of a storage bin door relative an enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the art that vehicular overhead assemblies have typically included a variety of components, such as, for example, storage bins, for stowing any desirable item, such as, for example, sunglasses, maps, and the like. Such stowage bin doors have been typically designed to pivot about a single axis, which typically restricts fore-aft design tolerances of the overhead assembly. As a result, design considerations of overhead assemblies become constrained by the location of neighboring components (i.e., adjacent storage bins, dome lamps, and the like) to the storage bin. Thus, the conventional design of a single axis pivoting motion of the storage bin door may require additional spacing between neighboring components so that the pivoting motion of the storage bin door is not impeded during deployment. As such, a need exists for improving the design tolerances of overhead assemblies and the deployment of overhead assembly storage bin doors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The inventors of the present disclosure have recognized these and other problems associated with conventional overhead assemblies and the deployment of storage bin doors. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an overhead storage bin assembly including a storage bin door in a stowed position according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the overhead storage bin assembly according to FIG. 1 with the storage bin door in a deployed position;

FIG. 3A is a side view of a compound pivoting mechanism according to the overhead storage bin assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is another side view of the compound pivoting mechanism according to FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is another side view of the compound pivoting mechanism according to FIG. 3B; and

FIG. 3D is another side view of the compound pivoting mechanism according to FIG. 3C.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The above described disadvantages are overcome and a number of advantages are realized by an inventive storage bin assembly, which is seen generally at 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. In general, the storage bin assembly 10 comprises a door 12 and an enclosure 14. If desired, a button 16 may be located on the storage bin assembly 10 at any desirable location to cause an un-latching or to initiate movement of the door 12 relative the enclosure 14. However, it will be appreciated that the design of the storage bin assembly 10 may not include the button 16 and that the door 12 may be initially moved relative the enclosure 14 with a conventional ‘push-push’ mechanism, or the like. Referring to FIG. 2, the door 12 is illustrated in a fully deployed position and includes an integral storage compartment 18 for stowing sunglasses, maps, and the like. The storage compartment 18 substantially occupies the entire volume of the enclosure 14 when the door 12 is in the stowed position.

In general, movement of the door 12 relative the enclosure 14 is regulated by a pair of compound pivoting mechanisms 20. Referring to FIG. 3A, each compound pivoting mechanism 20 includes a first arm 26, a second arm 28, and a third arm 30. As illustrated, the third arm 30 is integrated with the first arm 26. The first and second arms 26, 28 are attached at respective first ends to opposing inner walls 22 of the enclosure 14, which define first and second pivot axes A1, A2. The first and second arms 26, 28 are also attached at second respective ends of the first and second arms 26, 28 to outboard walls 24 (FIG. 2) of the door 12, which define first and second rotation center points C1, C2, respectively.

The first and second arms 26, 28 are defined to each include linear lengths, L1, L2, respectively. The third arm 30, which is hereinafter referred to as a dampening arm 30, includes an arcuate shape. As illustrated, the linear length, L1, of the first arm 26 is greater than the linear length, L2, of the second arm 28; however, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the second arm 28 being shorter than the first arm 26 and that the second arm 28 may be equal to or greater in length than the first arm 26.

The compound pivoting mechanisms 20 also include dampening gears 32 attached to each inner side wall 22 of the enclosure 14 by a fastener, which is generally shown at 36. The dampening gears 32 include gear teeth 34 that mesh with corresponding teeth 38 of the dampening arm 30 to permit damped movement of the door 12 relative the enclosure 14. Damped movement of the door 12 may be refined by increasing or decreasing the ratio of teeth 34, 38 included in the design of the dampening arm and gear 30, 32. As illustrated, each dampening arm 30 also includes a boss 42 that is adapted to engage a stop 40 extending from each inner wall 22 of the enclosure 14.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3D, each compound pivoting mechanism 20 includes the first and second pivot points, A1, A2, located at corresponding first ends of the first and second arms 26, 28 to provide a simultaneous, compound pivoting movement (FIGS. 3B and 3C) of the door 12 about the first and second pivot points A1, A2. As described below, once the boss 42 engages the stop 40, the simultaneous compound pivoting movement of the door 12 and first and second arms 26, 28 ceases and further pivoting movement of the door 12 is conducted about a single axis (FIG. 3D) at axis, A2, of the second arm 28.

Referring first to FIG. 3A, the door 12 may be initially moved in a substantially outward direction, away from the enclosure 14, for example, when a user presses the button 16, or alternatively, when the user presses the door 12, for example, in a ‘push-push’ manner, with a force in the direction of arrow, F1. Referring to FIG. 3B, the applied force in the direction of arrow, F1, causes the first and second arms 26, 28 to slightly pivot the door 12 in a compound motion as the first and second arms 26, 28 move in the direction of counter-clockwise arrow, P1, as the damping arm 30 is rotated about the dampening gear 32 in the direction of counter-clockwise arrow, P2, to draw the boss 42 toward the stop 40. Although the door 12 is slightly pivoted in a compound motion in the direction of arrow, P1, the dominant movement of the door 12 is a generally linear, outward movement away from the enclosure 14 in the direction opposite the arrow, F1. By moving the door 12 in a generally linear, outward direction away from the enclosure 14, a pivoting clearance of the door 12 is provided about the enclosure 14 for subsequent compound pivoting movement of the door 12 relative the enclosure 14.

Accordingly, the door 12 is presented to the user, such that the user may apply a force to the door 12 in the general direction of the arrow, F2. Referring to FIG. 3C, counter-clockwise compound pivoting movement of the arms 26, 28 is further advanced in the direction of arrow, P3. As illustrated, the damping arm 30 is further rotated in the counter-clockwise direction of arrow, P4, thereby drawing the boss 42 proximate the stop 40. As such, the door 12 is further pivoted in the compound motion in a regulated fashion about the first and second pivot axes, A1, A2. The user may continue to apply a force on the door 12 in the direction of arrow, F3, to draw the boss 42 into an abutting relationship with the stop 40.

Referring to FIG. 3D, the compound pivoting motion of the first and second arms 26, 28 ceases when the boss 42 engages the stop 40. Accordingly, the first arm 26 is restrained from further pivoting movement since the damping arm 30, which includes the boss 42, is integrated with the first arm 26. As such, the second arm 28 is free to pivot about the axis, A2, toward the fixed location of the first arm 26. Accordingly, the regulated pivoting movement of the door 12 is translated from compound pivoting axes at axes A1, A2 to a single pivoting axis at axis, A2.

The single axis pivoting of the second arm 28 about the second axis, A2, in the direction of counter-clockwise arrow, P5, is carried out as a user continues to apply a force to the door 12 in the general direction of arrow, F4, until an end 44 of the second arm 28 abuts an end 46 of the first arm 26 to thereby locate the door 12 in a fully deployed position. According to the illustrated embodiment, pivoting movement of the second arm 28 causes the door 12 to move with a snapping, detent action once the center point, C2, of the second arm 28 travels past an over-center line, OC. As illustrated, the over-center line, OC, extends through the center point, C1, of the first arm 26 and the center/pivot point of the second pivot axis, A2, of the second arm 28. Accordingly, because the first arm 26 is essentially in a locked state and the second arm 28 is free to pivot, the configuration of the first and second arms 26, 28 creates an over-center relationship whereby the second arm 28 binds and snaps into the first arm 26. Such movement is commonly associated with so-called “four-bar linkages.” Once the door 12 snaps into place, the door 12 is essentially locked in place. As such, when the door 12 moves in the direction of arrow, P6, with a snapping action, the overall feel of the door 12 is that of the door 12 traveling over a detent.

Upon locating the door 12 in a fully deployed position (i.e., where the door 12 is shown in phantom in FIG. 3D), the door 12 is frictionally locked in place until the user applied a force in the direction opposite the arrow, F4, such that the second arm 28 is advanced away from the first arm 26 with the second arm's center point, C2, traveling past the over-center line, OC. Accordingly, the door 12 may be relocated to the stowed position as illustrated in FIG. 3A by applying forces in the direction opposite the arrows F3, F2, and F1.

The storage bin assembly 10 described above provides an improved alternative to conventional storage bin assemblies by incorporating the compound pivoting motion of the pivoting mechanism 20 about the first and second pivot axes A1, A2. The presentation of the door 12 in a first, substantially linear motion in the direction opposite the arrow, F1, coupled with the compound pivoting action of the door 12 provides a clearance of the door 12 from the enclosure 14 such that other neighboring components in the overhead assembly may be located in a tighter relationship, thereby reducing the size of the overhead assembly. Even further, the over-center relationship of the first and second arms 26, 28 provides a storage bin assembly 10 with a frictionally locked position of the door 12 when fully deployed. Although the above-described embodiment shows forces F1-F4 being applied to the door 12, the door 12 may be automatically deployed by a biasing spring. Alternatively, automatic deployment of the door 12 may be carried out with an electric motor that may drive the damping gear 32 and/or the second arm 28, for example.

The present invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof. However, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that it is possible to embody the invention in specific forms other than those of the exemplary embodiments described above. This may be done without departing from the spirit of the invention. The exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and should not be considered restrictive in any way. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents, rather than by the preceding description. 

1. A storage bin assembly, comprising: a door moveably connected to an enclosure at first and second pivot axes by a pair of compound pivoting mechanisms including a first arm and a second arm; and an arcuate dampening arm integrally connected to the first arm of each pivoting mechanism to provide damped movement of the door relative the enclosure.
 2. The storage bin assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first arm and the second arm are attached at respective first and second ends to opposing inner walls of the enclosure and at outboard walls of the door, wherein the attachment of the first and second arms to the side walls defines the location of the first and second pivot axes, wherein the attachment to the of the first and second arms to the outboard walls defines rotation center points.
 3. The storage bin assembly according to claim 2, wherein the arcuate dampening arm is integrally connected to each first arm to provide damped movement of the door relative the enclosure, wherein each dampening arm includes teeth rotatably coupled to a toothed dampening gear attached to each inner side wall.
 4. The storage bin assembly according to claim 3, wherein each dampening arm includes a boss adapted to engage a stop extending from each inner wall.
 5. The storage bin assembly according to claim 4, wherein each first arm and second arm form an over-center relationship to provide a snapping action and detent-locking of the door relative the enclosure upon abutment of the boss and stop.
 6. A storage bin assembly, comprising: a door moveably connected to an enclosure at first and second pivot points of respective first and second arms that form an over-center relationship to provide a snapping action and detent-locking of the door relative the enclosure.
 7. The storage bin assembly according to claim 6, wherein the over-center relationship occurs when a rotation center point of the second arm is pivoted past an over-center line passing through the second pivot point of the second arm and a rotation center point of the first arm.
 8. A method for adjusting the position of a door relative an enclosure of a storage bin assembly, comprising the steps of: simultaneously pivoting a door relative an enclosure about first and second pivot points to cause a compound pivoting movement of the door relative the enclosure.
 9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of ceasing the compound pivoting of the door relative the enclosure about the first and second pivot points and pivoting the door about the second pivot point to cause a single pivoting movement of the door relative the enclosure.
 10. A method for adjusting the position of a door relative an enclosure of a storage bin assembly, comprising the steps of: applying a force to a door to cause a compound pivoting movement of a first and second arm, wherein the first and second arms are rotateably attached to the door at respective first and second rotation center points, wherein the first and second arms are pivotably attached at a first pivot point and a second pivot point, respectively, to an inner side wall of an enclosure; pivoting the first and second arm about the first and second pivot axes; ceasing pivoting movement of the first arm about the first pivot point and continuing pivoting movement of the second arm about the second pivot point; pivoting the second arm past an over-line line that passes through the second pivot point and the rotation center point of the first arm; and snapping the door into a locked position.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the ceasing step includes abutting a boss into a stop member, wherein the stop member extends from the inner side wall of the enclosure, wherein the boss extends from a damping arm integrated with the first arm. 